RxBandit66 wrote:This weekend showed us what we already know: when faced with any adversity, this is a .500 hockey team. With Letang out and Sid & Geno not producing, the rest of the players are easy to defend. The players tend to get easily frustrated, particularly the forwards, and take bad penalties that lead to goals. These are the same problems that have been emerging since the 2009 Cup, and they continue to be unresolved.

I'm at the point where there are a few things that need to be changed.

1. Winger. I think Zach Boychuk is a good hockey player, but I don't think he's 2nd line material on this team. Which leads me to --- He's better than Tyler Kennedy. I'd like to see Boychuk on the 3rd line and TK in the nacho box. However, I think they will make a trade for a winger and he will play on Sid's line. They will move Kunitz back to the Malkin line to see if they can get the chemistry from last year.

2. Lack of Veteran Leadership. This team really needs a Gonchar/Guerin type of player on it. It is really missing that vocal leader that can calm down before things explode...like they did in NJ.

3. Trade. So, who do you trade for? Iginla, Ryan, Gagner, Malone have been thrown out there. Ryan O'Reilly would be an interesting pick-up, if Shero could get him off his 5 years, 25 million contract demands.

I really like what I've seen from Bortuzzo. However, if he plays then we need to sit Engs.

Good stuff Kovy. I agree that Bortuzzo could be pushing Engelland out of the lineup. He is getting better every game and Engelland keeps making mistakes. Kennedy will not be long for this team if his play does not pick up. He's not worth much in a trade (maybe a decent rental defenseman or a draft pick) but the $2m saved could be better spent.

As for Iginla, he won't come cheap, but they need to win now, the window is closing so I say go for it if he's available. He would provide that big time veteran presence and leadership, and he wants to win badly. If Sid and Iggy are skating together, any forward with decent speed and good hockey sense could skate with those two and produce points. I know Shero will never touch the coaching staff; he's staked his future as the Pens' GM on Bylsma by not making changes after last season. But I do wish they would add a bad cop to the coaching staff. It's funny how Bylsma, Granato, and Rierden look so studious and pensive behind the bench, yet they make no in-game adjustments AT ALL, EVER. Back in the days of Ron Francis, Joe Mullen, and Larry Murphy, those guys never lost their composure on or off the ice. In this era of disciplined and strategic hockey, throwing temper tantrums is without a doubt the best way to defeat yourself. Last spring, the Penguins beat the Penguins. The Flyers may have won the series, but they were the benefit of a team that self destructed. That type of behavior reared it's ugly head this past weekend, and all the teams know that if you frustrate the Pens, they can be beaten in this manner. Apparently Mr. Shero thinks this is not a problem.

guiner wrote:Before you ditch Boychuk to third, just swap him with Kunitz and give that a go. The kid obviously has hockey sense to play with top talent, he know where to go and makes plays.

I'd be all for that if they can land a player of Iginla's calibur to play on Sid's wing. Give him a shot with those two guys, and if he fails, put Duper back there. Right now, Duper's hands of stone is killing that line, and Kuniz has been great for three games and invisible for the rest. They need to be more consistent.

Yeah, really. And the obvious solution is to put Kunitz on Malkin's line and give Crosby two wingers who couldn't hit water if they fell out of a boat.

Boychuk would definitely fit Sid's line better than Malkin's. But Kunitz and Sid have some obvious chemistry that would be sort of silly to mess with. I think it's time to bring up Bennett to replace Dupuis on the RW. Give it a shot before heading into the deadline.

Boychuk should be dropped down to the 3rd line to give Sutter someone to play with offensively. Jeffrey should take his spot on the 2nd line to provide the board work and defensive support that can free up Malkin and Neal. But you could also rotate Cooke in there.

Good teams get beat all the time by other good teams. The Pens and Debs are both ood teams. The games were also closer than the scores indicate. Our guys just couldn't finish when given the rare chance. But even down by two with the goalie pulled it was not impossible to expect us to tie it.

Other losses this year? Horrendous and inexcusable in the way we lost especially to the Isles and Leafs.